Car horns honk support for Yes Vote

By Tim Howard

There could be a surprise level of support for the Yes Vote in the Aboriginal Voice to Parliament referendum next month going by an unoffcial “poll” conducted earlier this month.

On September 17 around 80 people gathered in Grafton for the Walk for Yes to waving banners to spread a positive message of support for the proposal.

They joined hundreds of thousands of Australians who took to the streets around the country for the walk.

Local walk organiser

Sharryn Usher was delighted with the crowd that turned up, with placards at the ready, for the walk.

“I told police when we were organising it we might get 30 or 40,” she said.

“So when we saw so many people turning up it was a real thrill.”

Support for the Yes Vote was struggling according to published opinion polls, but walk organisers were pleased with the Impromptu response from drivers as they passed the walkers with their signs.

Ms Usher christened the experience the “carhorn-honk poll.”

“It was overwhelmingly supportive,” she said. “So many people honked their horns and waved in support for us.

“There was the odd person yelling out ‘no’ but not many. It was mostly supporters, which was a really good outcome.”

She said it was good to see the Yes Vote getting support in the Clarence which was home to three different Aboriginal peoples and had a higher than the Australian average indigenous population.

“The issues facing indigenous Australians are occurring here,” she said. “Having a their voice to advise the parliament on what they need to deal with those issues, is something we must support here.”

Ms Usher said she was also delighted with the number of walkers who have signed on to work in pre-polling booths and on October 14 polling day.

“It’s important we have people at the booths to promote our message as people go in to vote,” she said.

“There’s a lot of polling places and we still need more people to make sure we’ve got them all covered.

A veteran Grafton walker, Barbara Fahey shared her views on the referendum.

“At long last we have an opportunity to do something about the problems facing indigenous people by taking advice from them,” she said.

“We need to close the gap, make sure they have the same educational opportunities as us and end the shameful incarceration rate.”

Ms Usher said there would be more events supporting the Yes Campaign in the Clarence Valley between now and referendum day.

“We’re planning a few events and we’re going to be doing letterbox drops too,” she said.